Background to the Sydney Cup

The Sydney Cup was the first of what became the ‘big four’ distance events on the Sydney city racing calendar. Starting in 1963, it was eventually joined by the Association Cup (1965), Summer Cup (1965), and Wentworth Park Gold Cup (1966). The Chairman’s Cup, first run in 1984, became the fifth major distance race in Sydney when its conditions were modified in 2007 to turn it into an open event.

Inaugural running

The first Sydney Cup took place on 5 October 1963, over 790 yards (722 metres) on the grass track at Wentworth Park. The event was for the best eight stayers nominated and attracted three Victorian runners: Kerry’s Idol, Lady Cantee, and Pol Stars, the latter owned and trained by the versatile Ed Tucker. The local hopes rested on Bustling Babe, Jane’s View, Local Linen, Magic Vale, and Wally’s Best.

The race saw the consistent Wally’s Best successful, scoring by six lengths from Magic Vale with Lady Cantee third. The victory took Wally’s Best’s race record to 18 wins, seven seconds and five thirds from 44 outings. At Wentworth Park he improved his record to five wins and five placings from 14 starts. Wally’s Best had won three and been placed in three of his previous six distance starts prior to the Cup.

Distances

The race was run over 790 yards (722 metres) on grass at Wentworth Park from 1963 to 1986, then over 720 metres from 1987 until 1992 on grass and since 1993 it has been run on loam.

When is the race held?

It is possibly the only major distance event in the country that has been concluded in the same month, October, since inception.

Biggest Winning Margins

Miagi won by nine and a quarter lengths in 2007. Miss High Lo (1974) won by nine lengths, Wally’s Best (1963) six lengths, and Top Saba (1971), Miss High Lo (1973) and Olympic Rose (1983) all by five lengths.

Closest Winning Margins

Our Vent (1969) by a neck is the closest followed by Pinkstone (1964) and Kobble Creek (1999) by half a length.

Most Successful Trainers

Three people have won the event twice: Les Kelly (Miss High Lo 1973 & 1974), Peter Giles with Valley Cowgirl (2000) and Westend Prince (2002), and Graeme Bate with Fire Lad (1995) and Amity Bale (2009).

The first two Sydney Cup finals were best-eight affairs. The second one, in 1964, saw NSW stayers run first, second, and third, while the three Victorian contestants ran fourth, fifth, and sixth.

The 1965 Sydney Cup was the first with elimination rounds, and these consisted of four heats. From 1966 onwards the race only consisted of two eliminations heats.

In 1969 the mighty Zoom Top looked to have the race at her mercy, having broken the track record with a sensational 42.9 effort in her heat. Sadly, Zoom Top was virtually brought undone by her litter sister Busy’s Charm, who fell at the first turn and Zoom Top was forced to hurdle her. Zoom Top was then poleaxed by another runner. Her effort to run fourth behind Our Vent was huge.

The 1976 running was delayed by nine days due to bad weather, while the 1983 Sydney Cup had to be postponed for a week after the original final date was rained off.

The 1992 Sydney Cup was the last to be run on grass and was won by Sailing Waverly, who took his earnings to $98,915 at a time when the $100,000 mark was still viewed as a major milestone. That race was arguably the most mixed outside of a Nationals final, with Laddies Star from representing Western Australia, Gem Supreme from South Australia, Academy Monaro from Tasmania and two Victorian finalists in Pace Galore and Bon Jamie. The 1992 version was also worth $30,000 to the winner, the most it has ever been. Currently the winner earns $25,000.